Crime writers from the North will guest at September's Bloody Scotland festival
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North crime writers will be on the case when Scotland's international crime writing festival returns to Stirling on Friday, September 15.
On the first day from 5-6pm, Bloody Scotland founder, Lin Anderson from Carrbridge will be sharing the stage with specialists who have helped her create the stamp of authenticity in her books, and celebrating 20 years since Lin’s iconic forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod made her debut in first novel Driftnet. Joining Lin will be Professor Lorna Dawson, a specialist in soil forensics, forensic pathologist Dr James Grieve, and advocate Donald Findlay KC.
On the Saturday at 3-4pm, in Long, Long Time Ago, Shona MacLean will join David Hewson and Steven Veerapen, and will be talking about her new Damien Seeker novel, The Winter List. The Stuarts have been returned to the throne and Cromwell supporters are being hunted down as traitors. The event is also online.
Neil Lancaster will be one of the guests on the Sunday from 11.30am-12.30pm in Undercovers, when he and fellow ex-Met undercover detective Liam Thomas talk about their lives and books, Neil on his successful DS Max Craigie series and the latest, Blood Runs Cold, on the trail of trafficking victims and their kidnappers. This session will also be online.
And in Call The Polis! on the Sunday from 1-2pm, Fort William's JD Kirk will talk about his multimillion-selling Inverness-set DCI Jack Logan series with Marion Todd and Mull Historical Society's musician Colin McIntyre, turned crime writer.
The 2023 festival will take place in various Stirling venues including The Albert Halls, Trinity Church and the social hub of the festival, The Golden Lion Hotel) as well as online.
The event Bloody Scotland is Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival, providing a showcase for the best crime writing from Scotland and the world, unique in that it was set up by a group of Scottish crime writers in 2012.
Many highlights include talks with Val McDermid, Mick Herron, Lisa Jewell, Chris Brookmyre and Mark Billingham.
And former BBC presenter James Naughtie and former member of MI6, Charles Cumming will discuss the espionage novel in the 21st century.
The winners of the the McIlvanney Prize for the year's best crime fiction – and the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year – will be announced on the Friday.
As well as Black Isle residents SG MacLean and Ian Rankin, Fulton Ross – originally from the Highlands – is up for the McIlvanney with his book The Unforgiven Dead, about a Highland policeman who enjoys the gift – and the curse – of second sight. The book is also up for the Debut award for first crime books.
